GECOM recently agreed to put together a proposal for the demarcation of constituencies within Neighbourhood Democratic Councils that are geographically small and/or under-populated and to submit suggestions for the number of seats respectively for consideration by Minister of Local Government Kellawan Lall.
According to a Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) media release, Minister Lall recently gave an undertaking to work with the Commission in a “consultative approach in determining the number of seats in existing NDCs, especially those that are geographically small and/or under-populated.”
The release said that the local government minister gave the undertaking during a meeting he had with a team from GECOM, headed by its chairman Dr Steve Surujbally.
The meeting was initiated by GECOM to advise Minister Lall “of the essential need for the number of seats for NDCs which are geographically small and/or under-populated to be reduced before he makes any Order pertaining to the demarcation of constituencies,” the release stated.
It noted too that GECOM is aware the minister could, by Order, reduce the number of seats on an NDC, and that this would be possible only after the draft Election Laws (Amendment) Amending Bill 2009 is put before the National Assembly and becomes law.
In the meantime Lall acknowledged that GECOM possessed the knowledge and expertise to deal with the demarcation of constituencies.
Moreover, he recognized that this task falls within GECOM’s mandate and neither he nor his ministry could be officially associated with its implementation, the release added.
It stated further that Lall assured GECOM that the boundaries of the existing NDCs will not be changed for the upcoming Local Government Elections and he advised that the demarcation of constituencies be carried out with this in mind. The minister noted, however, that issues of boundaries could be addressed at a later date.
Dr Surujbally was accompanied by Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, and Robert Williams, Chief Election Officer Gocool Boodoo, Deputy Chief Election Officer Calvin Benn, Assistant Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield and Public Relations Officer Vishnu Persaud.